Process of and apparatus for tipping laces



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PATENT OFFICE GEORGE E. ARMITAG'E, F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED LACE & BRAID MANUFACTURING 00., 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR TIPPING LAC'ES Application filed August 23, 1927. Serial No. 214,935.

This invention pertains to a process of and apparatus for tipping laces, for example shoe laces, and is intended to facilitate, expedite and cheapen the manufacture of such laces. While in the embodiment of means herein illustrated the invention is more particularly described with reference to the formation of non-metallic tips of that type in which organic material having suitable characteristics is associated with the normally limp and pliable lace material so as to stifien the latter locally, thereby providing a tip, and while in its specific application the invention relates to the formation of a tip by insertion into and subsequent compression of a slug of celluloid or similar material within the end of a tubular textile lace, the invention is not thus limited, since in its broader aspects it may be found useful in connection with the application of metallic or other tips exterior to the lace material or embedded in or enclosed thereby, and to the formation of tips upon lace material other than tubular and whether of textile or other material.

For illustrative purposes the invention is hereafter described with reference to the formation of tips of that type in which a slug of celluloid is first inserted in a tubular textile braid and then subjected to heat and pressure, in the presence of a solvent for celluloid if desired, to cause the celluloidand textile fibers firmly to adhere and to give the tip the desired shape and finish.

Such tips have heretofore been made by a slow and laborous hand operation. In the practice of this manual operation the worker provides himself with a supply of short pieces or slugs of celluloid, flat or round, of a length substantially equal to that of the desired tip, and after inserting one of these slugs in the end of the tubular lace usually moistens the enclosing fabric with a celluloid solvent, and then subjects the tip to pressure in a press having dies shaped to give the tip the desired form. IVhile this manual process results in the production of an acceptable tip, it is costly and for this reason impractical, except as applied to the more expensive grades of lace.

I am also aware that certain suggestions have been made to the effect that the tipforming slugs might be fed into the lace material during the manufacture of the latter on the braiding machine, but I regard these suggestions as highly impractical for several reasons, among which may be mentioned the difiiculty, if not impossibility, of producing laces of uniform length in this manner, and, so far as I am aware, no practical process or automatic machine has heretofore been devised which can produce satisfactory tips of this character with rapidity, efiiciency and certainty.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated by way of example mechanism capable of performing my improved process expeditiously and reliably, and in the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of the machine, the lower part ofthe base being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a, fragmentary front elevation omitting certain parts and having the central portion of the casing broken away, disclosing the main cam shaft and drive clutch in section;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan View showing the central portion only of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary and more or less diagrammatic plan View illustrating the means for actuating the gripper devices and the anchor shafts;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section to parger scale, substantially on the line t4: of

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 of Fig. 5 illustrating details of one element of the drive clutch;

Fig. 5" is a section on Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section generally similar to Fig. 5, but showing one of the main grippers and the means for closing the gripper jaws;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary and more or less diagrammatic plan view of the main grippers and the means for closing the gripper jaws;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front elevation showing a portion of the standard of the mathe line 55 of chine and shuttle-driving mechanism carried thereby;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section tolarger scale substantially on the line 9-9 of Fig. 1, illustrating details of the drive connections for one of the anchor shafts;

Fig. 10 is a vertical section to larger scale substantially on the line 10-10 of Fig. 3, illustrating details of one of the gripperdevices;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view showing the gripper device of Fig. 10, and certain adjacent parts;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary side elevation to large scale of one end of one of the gripper devices, showing the jaws and the means for opening the jaws;

Fig. 11 is a rear elevation of the shuttle removed from the machine; 7

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary horizontal section substantially on the line 12-12 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 13 is a vertical section on the line 13-13 ofFig. 12; v

Fig.14 is a perspective View to large scale illustrating one of the auxiliary gripper devices;

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the auxiliary gripper jaws;

Fig. 15 is a vertical section through one of the anchor shafts showing one of the anchors or measuring hooks mounted thereon;

Fig. 16 is a perspective View illustrating the tip-compressing die removed from the machine;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary horizontal section on the line 17-17 of Fig. 6

Fig. 18 is a vertical section illustrating a typical form of electrical heating unit for heating the die;

Fig. 19 is a vertical section to larger scale, substantially on the line 19-19 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 20-20 of Fig. 19;

Fig. 21 is a side elevation of the tip-inserting unit removed from the machine;

Fig. 22 is a front elevation of the tip-removing unit;

Fig. 23 is a horizontal section, to larger scale, on the line 23-23 of Fig. 22;

n Fig. 24 is a vertical section on the line 24-24 of Fig. 23; I

Fig. 25 is a horizontal section on the line 25-25 of Fig. 23; p Fig. 26 is a vertical section to larger scale on the line 26-26 of Fig. 21; l

Fig. 27 is a vertical section, partly in elevation and to larger scale, on the line 27-27 of Fig. 21, or the line 27-27 of Fig. 28;

Fig. 28 is a vertical section on the line 28-28 of Fig. 27;

Fig. 28 is a diagram illustrating'the relations of the levers and cams shown in Fig. 28

Fig. 29 is a fragmentary horizontal section on the line 29-29 of Fig. 27;

Fig. 30 is a plan view, partly in section, of the base portion of the tip-inserting unit substantially on the plane of line 30-30 of Fig. 22;

Fig. 30 is an end view of one of the lace end holders removed from the machine;

Fig. 30 is a section to large scale substantially on the line 30 -30" of Fig. 30, but showing the lace end holder in operative position;

Fig. 31 is a side elevation of the base of the tip-inserting unit, certain parts being removed; 7

Fig. 32 is a fragmentary side elevation of one of the tip-inserting needles removed from the machine showing a tip-forming slug within the needle and the slug discharging plunger in retracted. position;

Fig. 32 is a plan view of the needle, toenlarged scale, removed from the machine;

Fig. 33 is a view similar to. Fig. 32 but showing the needle with the slug inserted in the end of a lace and with the discharging plunger advanced to operative position;

Fig. 34 is a. view similar to Fig. 33 but showing the needle retracted from the lace and the plunger still in advanced position, holding the slug within the end of the lace;

Fig. 35 is a vertical section on the lin 35-35 of Fig. 30;

Fig. 36 is a diagram illustrating the sequence of operations of the principal actuating cams;

Fig. 37 is a vertical section on line 37-37 of Fig. 38 illustrating details of a modified mechanism comprising a rotary turret for presenting the lace material to the tip-inserting means and the dies;

Fig. 38 is an end elevation of the rotary turret shown in Fig. 37

. Fig. 39 is an end elevation of a die supporting plate forming a part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 37;

Figs. 40 to 43 are diagrammatic perspective views illustrating the cycle of operations of the machine; and

Fig. 44 is a diagrainmaticview; illustrating the operation of the arrangement shown in Figs. 37 to 39, inclusive.

F mane and driving mechanism Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6, 7, 8, 12 and 13, the machine preferably comprises a standard or column 1 provided with an extended base not shown, adapted to furnish a firm support for the machine parts. Preferably, the standard or column 1 is hollow and is provided 'at its upper end with a cap 2 constituting a table for holding the upper portion of the machine; Upon thistable I mount a casing 3 which houses the major part of the main actuating mechanism and which forms theframe proper of the machine. The front 

